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A low grumble rumbled from Kael’s throat , sounding almost annoyed at the thought of the other checking in on him so often. Still , he couldn’t really complain. It was one of the few comforts he had left. Most people had long since stopped caring , leaving only the man standing in front of him. After another quiet grumble to himself , he let out a tired sigh and gave a reluctant nod. “ Noted. I’ll keep that in mind. ” A faint scoff followed. “ You really haven’t changed , have you ? I know I’ve said that before , but . . . ” His words trailed off with a small shrug.
To the rest of the organization , Kael was nothing more than a traitor — a threat that had disappeared without leaving so much as a footprint. They’d searched for him relentlessly , but none of them had found him. None except Zev. The one person Kael still thought of as a little brother , the one person he knew he could never bring himself to kill , no matter how loudly the voices demanded it. During their last encounter , his hands had trembled around the pistol. For the first time in what felt like forever , he couldn’t pull the trigger. Rising slowly from the sand , he cleared his throat , the bitter taste of saltwater still clinging to his tongue. He brushed the dirt from his clothes with his gloved hands before looking toward Nukoyo. “ Whatever that thing was , it wanted us dead , ” he said quietly. “ But . . . you’re right. We’re still breathing. Barely. ” His gaze drifted toward the waves. “ I figured we were done for after that. ” He grimaced to himself. “ . . . I hate the water. ” The words were barely above a whisper. It wasn’t fear that unsettled him — just the ocean itself , with its endless depth and silence.
